The present invention relates to a humidifier. More particularly, the present invention relates to a humidifier to be used in an infant care support apparatus.
Patient or infant care support apparatus provide controlled temperatures and humid environments for small or premature infants. A typical support apparatus provides a generally transparent enclosure within which heated and humidified air is circulated to minimize the heat loss of the infant. Such apparatus are provided with a large access door to allow for placement or removal of the infant. Supplemental access ways, such as hand ports or small entry doors, are also often provided to permit routine care of the infant while minimizing heat loss from the apparatus.
Typically, infant care support apparatus include built-in humidifiers through which filtered inlet air is passed. Other support apparatus may include external humidifiers which introduce filtered humidified air into the support apparatus. These humidifiers, however, are often configured or positioned such that refilling and cleaning their reservoirs can be difficult. It would be beneficial, therefore, to provide a humidifier that is movable with respect to the support apparatus and is both convenient to refill and to clean.
The present invention provides a humidifier for use in combination with a patient support apparatus. The humidifier comprises a vaporizer and a container. The container defines a reservoir and is movable relative to the vaporizer between a first position operably coupled to the vaporizer and a second position spaced apart from the vaporizer.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides an infant incubator comprising a tub and a humidifier. The tub carries a patient support surface. The humidifier comprises a vaporizer carried by the tub, and a container defining a reservoir. The container is movable relative to the vaporizer and relative to the tub between a first position received by the tub and operably coupled to the vaporizer, and a second position spaced apart from the vaporizer and spaced apart from the tub.
A further embodiment of the present invention provides an infant incubator also comprising a tub and a humidifier. In this embodiment, the tub carries a patient support surface and has a wall defining a perimeter of the incubator. The humidifier comprises a vaporizer and a container also carried by the tub. The container defines a reservoir and is formed to include an opening in fluid communication with the reservoir. The container is movable relative to the vaporizer and relative to the tub between a first position within the perimeter of the incubator and a partially spaced apart position providing access to the opening in the container, thereby providing access to the reservoir from outside of the perimeter defined by the tub.
In various embodiments of the present invention, the humidifier is made from a material that can withstand high temperature sterilization and is movable to a third position spaced apart from the patient support apparatus. In addition, the humidifier may include a container supported on a slide, a refill pan to refill the container while in the second position, a valve to provide fluid communication between the reservoir and the container, a manifold to engage the valve when the container is in the first position, a front panel to provide a grippable body to move the container between positions, a catch basin positioned to catch excess fluid, a latch to secure the container to the patient support apparatus, a spring to bias the valve member, and a seal movable between an open and closed position.